


How (Not) To Cope With Withdrawal

by PepperF



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Episode Tag, F/M, s6e13 Emotional Consequences of Broadcast Television
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-05
Updated: 2015-06-05
Packaged: 2018-04-03 00:51:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4080232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PepperF/pseuds/PepperF
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He could do this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How (Not) To Cope With Withdrawal

**Author's Note:**

> Unrelated to my other season 6 finale tag, [#andanepilogue](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4068052). I just feel compelled to write tags for this ep, I can't think why.
> 
> Huge thanks again to my beta, bethanyactually, who makes everything better!

**Week 1: Optimism**

He could do this. It was great that she and Abed were out there, learning and growing as people. He was happy for her (for them). He was emotionally equipped to cope now. He had his own life, and that fantasy about the multiple redheads to keep him going.

Besides, it wasn't as if he was completely alone. If anything, he could stand to spend less time with the dean and Chang – particularly as Chang had for some reason latched on to Jeff for moral support following his recent de-closeting. A part of him wanted to push him towards the dean (or Frankie???), who presumably had gone through something similar at some point – but, ugh, that pesky, itchy conscience kicked in again. And the idea of the dean helping Chang... no. No, last time that had led to a fire, several riots, a pseudo-military coup, kidnapping and illegal incarceration, the group's collective expulsion, and an elaborate heist. They had only just stopped Chang from blowing up the entire school. No, he and the dean needed to be supervised by a responsible adult, and for his sins, that seemed to be Jeff.

So he was being an adult, and keeping the home fires… under control, and in ten weeks she'd be back, and they'd all finally be fine.

 

**Week 2: Keep Busy**

He needed to clear out his wardrobe. And he was going to buy himself that new juicer and try a detox over the weekend, when the low blood sugar wouldn't result in multiple homicides. Oh, and he had plans to marathon the last season of Leverage on Netflix. And he could already see that the summer school students were going to be a handful.

So, yeah. His life was pretty full at the moment.

 

**Week 3: Bargaining**

In the third week, he snapped and googled "FBI internships how fucking long?". She'd been too busy concentrating on going to think about the return, and he'd bitten down hard on his tongue to stop himself from asking.

Ten weeks. Okay. He breathed a little easier. She'd be back in ten weeks – seven, now. That was... actually, it was only late August. Summer wouldn't even be over.

He could do this.

 

**Week 4: A Little Of What You Need**

"Hi Jeff!"

God, her voice sounded so good. His throat dried up. But it was okay, because she immediately launched into the thousand and one things she wanted to tell him. He was only half listening. The other half of his brain was taken up with a chant of _AnnieAnnieAnnieAnnieAnnie..._

Just before they hung up, he took a chance and said quickly, "Miss you."

"Aw, I miss you, too," she said, with no hesitation or qualification. Something tight in his stomach eased a little.

"See you in six weeks. Go get 'em, Clarice."

 

**Week 5: Critical Self-Examination**

Brianna – the driven idealist one – glared at him, tossing back her long red curls. "Yeah? Well if you're so convinced I'm concealing my own retractable pencil, maybe I'll just have to CONVINCE YOU!" She tore open her high-buttoned blouse, and pouted at him. "Or are you trying to divert attention away from your own guilt?"

"Oh, I'll show you what I'm concealing," smirked Jeff, beginning to unbuttoning his own shirt. His fingers got a little tangled, and he looked down.

"Jeff," she purred, running a hand over his chest – and then her voice softened, sweetened. "Is this really what you want?"

He looked up in shock, and something in her blue eyes was so familiar... "Briannie – Briann _a_ , of course this is what I want. This is my fantasy, after all."

Brianna tilted her head to one side, smiling sympathetically—

—and Jeff groaned – not in the good way – and let go of his cock, throwing his arm over his face. "Seriously?" he said aloud, to the empty bedroom. "SERIOUSLY?"

 

**Week 6: Positive Affirmations**

He could do this.

He didn't need her.

He could cope on his own.

It was only four more weeks.

He could do this.

 

**Week 7: Admit You Have A Problem**

He'd googled 'flights Denver DC' eleven times now. He shut the computer with a snap and leaned back in his chair, glaring at the ceiling.

Three. More. Weeks.

God, he missed her. Every hour of every day. He wanted her to come back, all full of smiles and enthusiasm and zest for life. He wanted to listen to her talk about the things she'd seen and done. He wanted to go get coffee with her and just be normal again. He wanted to sit down with her and sort out where they were going next. He wanted to know what she wanted. He just… wanted her home.

 

**Week 8: Just A Little Longer**

"Hey there Scully – I know, I know," he said as he answered the phone, "you're back in two weeks and would I pick you up. You know, it's lucky I like you – the airport is a pain in the ass. What time's your flight due in?"

_Thank god. Thank god. Thank god. Thank god. Thank god._

"No, actually – I've got good news! They've asked me to stay on a little longer. Just another couple of weeks – which basically means I'll be finishing here on Friday and back in class on Monday, but that's okay, I really feel refreshed just because I've had a change, you know? ...Jeff? Are you still there?"

"That's great, Annie. I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks! I mean, of course I miss you guys, but this is such a great opportunity, you know? And I'm learning so much, and DC is so amazing! Did I tell you I went to..."

He was happy for her. He was.

Happy, happy, happy.

 

**Week 9: Deal Appropriately With Any Setbacks**

"Okay, Jeffrey, that's enough drinky-poos for you."

No. He wasn done.

"Look, I really – oops, little spill, that's okay, it'll wash out – yes, I know you don't want to let go of that, well listen up, buster, because you're going to HAVE to! Oh, was that too forceful?"

N O

it wasnst fair

"Oh, I don't like mopey Jeffrey at all... Look, you won't remember this tomorrow, and despite what SOME people think, I'm not completely morally depraved, so I'm only going to help you off with this... and maybe unbutton these a little... my, they are tight, aren't they? Right, sleepytime for little – oof – little – gosh you're heavy – little Jeffreys, so you just – you just – just get... Okay, yes, you're sleeping on the couch, I suppose that will have to do."

donwanna go t'sleep

"Okay, there's a bucket right there, and I'll be just over here in the chair, so, you know... if you need me, you can just call out my name."

Annie

w ant annnienanieannei eanneianeiieenannennie

*sigh* "Or that name, I suppose. Goodnight, Jeffrey."

anneieaniennieeaaniieennniane

"And tomorrow, you and I are going to have a little chat."

 

**Week 9.5: Intervention**

"No." He wasn't going to do it – he wasn't going to throw himself at her. It was humiliating.

They'd been after him ever since the other night, when he had, admittedly, got a little more drunk than usual. First the Dean had tried ("Jeffrey, don't you think you should take some time off?"), then Britta ("Jeff, you're being completely unbearable – can't you go be unbearable in DC, and give us all a break?"), then Frankie ("Didn't you once try to pay for your courses using air miles? Don't you think this would be a good time to use them?"), then Chang ("Go to her, Jeff. And fuck her. And tell me all about it – except maybe pretend like she's a guy, because I'm gay now?"). Now they were ganging up on him. They'd even got Abed on Skype.

"No. I'm not doing it. I'm not a child; I can get by without her for another three weeks."

"Dude, you really can't," said Chang, shaking his head. Jeff glared at him. The others were nodding their heads in agreement, and he officially hated them all.

"Jeff," said Abed patiently, his voice tinny through the computer speakers, "don't you know? She misses you, too."

 

**Week 10: Give In To The Inevitable**

His heart was in his throat when he knocked on the door. She opened it, and her eyes widened dramatically. "J-jeff?" she gasped.

Dignity, he'd told himself, the whole trip there. Chill. Poise. Swagger. Aloofness. An air of mystery and sexy danger.

He drank in the sight of her, whole and perfect and looking at him and _here_.

"Fuck it," he muttered, dropping his bag and pulling her into his arms. He buried his nose in her hair and breathed in deeply.

It was the furthest he'd ever traveled, and paradoxically, he felt like he'd just come home.

After a startled moment, her arms slipped tentatively around him. "You know I'll be back in Greendale in a couple of weeks, right?" she asked, sounding amused.

"Mm-hm," he said, voice muffled.

"Okay. Good. Just checking." Some restraint seemed to disappear, then, and she relaxed into him, arms tightening around his waist. Jeff burrowed deeper. "It's REALLY good to see you, Jeff," she said.

 

**Week 11: Almost Your Old Self Again**

He checked Skype as soon as he got in – and she was already on, thank god. He started a video call, and she answered straight away.

"Jeff!"

His answering smile was involuntary and uncontrollable. "Hey, J Edgar. How was your day?"

"Oh, you know – classified," she grinned. "How was your flight?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh, you know… I flirted with the flight attendant and got an upgrade."

"Jeff!" she scolded.

"Women can't resist the Winger charm," he said, leaning back and folding his hands behind his head. "You should have some sympathy for them, Annie. Aren't you president of my fanclub?"

She rolled her eyes in disgust. "Ugh, you are so vain. I don't know why I put up with you."

"Look at it this way: you've got another ten days before you have to put up with me again."

A tiny smile appeared on her face. "Ten days, huh? I suppose I'll just have to make the most of it," she said.

"Yeah. Because after that…" he shook his head mournfully. "I'm afraid you're stuck with me."

She gave a theatrical sigh. "What an awful fate," she said, leaning on one hand. "Stuck with Jeff Winger forever. However will I cope?"

 

**Week 12: Back To The Start**

When Annie walked past the security signs, he was waiting for her, hands tucked casually into the pockets of his jacket, hair carefully disheveled, leaning hipshot against a pillar. Her eyes found him straight away, and she waved, blushing slightly.

He pushed himself upright, and strolled towards her, looking for all the world like he didn't want to run across the arrivals lounge and grab her and never let go. He was pretty sure he was convincing enough for the rest of the universe, but the spark in her eyes told him she wasn't fooled for a minute.

They came to a stop in front of one another, and Annie let go of her wheeled suitcase. Her smile wavered a little, nervously.

Part of him wanted just to dive straight into this new thing they had and take everything she was willing to give. Another part of him wanted to hold back, to play it cool in case she ran for the hills. Buffeted between two opposing desires, he stood his ground and just breathed her in, living in the moment. 

His arm reached its own decision in the _looking cool_ vs. _touching her again_ debate, and slid around her waist. When he tugged, she came willingly, with a quiet, satisfied noise. She reached up, and brushed a hand along his collar. "Hey, Jeff," she said softly.

He sighed and closed his eyes, his body curling around hers. He pressed his lips reverently to her hair. 

"Welcome home."


End file.
